Process for the preparation of antimicrobial plastics

Abstract

Antimicrobial activity is imparted to the surface(s) of an apparatus or article by a method, comprising: copolymerizing tertbutylaminoethyl methacrylate with at least one other aliphatically unsaturated monomer in the presence of said apparatus or article by which adhesion of the copolymer to said surface(s) is achieved. In an embodiment of the invention, adhesion of the polymer coating on the apparatus or article occurs by graft copolymerization.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by letters Patent of the United States is:  
     
       1. An antimicrobial coating composition consisting essentially of an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of ethanol, methanol, methyl ethyl ketone, diethyl ether, dioxane, hexane, heptane, benzene, toluene, chloroform, methylene chloride, tetrahydrofuran and acetonitrile, and dissolved therein an antimicrobial polymer obtained by copolymerization in the presence of an initiator of t-butylaminoethyl methacrylate with one or more other aliphatically monounsaturated monomers other than carboxylic acid-containing monomers, wherein at least 60% by weight of said polymer is from said t.-butylaminoethyl methacrylate. 
     
     
       2. The antimicrobial coating composition as claimed in claim  1 , wherein the one or more other aliphatically unsaturated monomers is methyl methacrylate. 
     
     
       3. The antimicrobial coating composition as claimed in claim  1 , wherein the organic solvent is tetrahydrofuran. 
     
     
       4. The antimicrobial coating composition as claimed in claim  2 , wherein the organic solvent is tetrahydrofuran. 
     
     
       5. The antimicrobial coating composition as claimed in claim  1 , wherein the composition contains no additional biocidally active compounds. 
     
     
       6. The antimicrobial coating composition as claimed in claim  2 , wherein the composition contains no additional biocidally active compounds. 
     
     
       7. The antimicrobial coating composition as claimed in claim  3 , wherein the composition contains no additional biocidally active compounds. 
     
     
       8. The antimicrobial coating composition as claimed in claim  4 , wherein the composition contains no additional biocidally active compounds. 
     
     
       9. A process of applying an antimicrobial coating to a polymeric substrate comprising applying the antimicrobial coating composition of claim  1  to said substrate and then removing the organic solvent therefrom. 
     
     
       10. A process of applying an antimicrobial coating to a polymeric substrate comprising applying the antimicrobial coating composition of claim  2  to said substrate and then removing the organic solvent therefrom. 
     
     
       11. A process of applying an antimicrobial coating to a polymeric substrate comprising applying the antimicrobial coating composition of claim  3  to said substrate and then removing the organic solvent therefrom. 
     
     
       12. A process of applying an antimicrobial coating to a polymeric substrate comprising applying the antimicrobial coating composition of claim  4  to said substrate and then removing the organic solvent therefrom. 
     
     
       13. A process of applying an antimicrobial coating to a polymeric substrate comprising applying the antimicrobial coating composition of claim  5  to said substrate and then removing the organic solvent therefrom. 
     
     
       14. A process of applying an antimicrobial coating to a polymeric substrate comprising applying the antimicrobial coating composition of claim  6  to said substrate and then removing the organic solvent therefrom. 
     
     
       15. A process of applying an antimicrobial coating to a polymeric substrate comprising applying the antimicrobial coating composition of claim  7  to said substrate and then removing the organic solvent therefrom. 
     
     
       16. A process of applying an antimicrobial coating to a polymeric substrate comprising applying the antimicrobial coating composition of claim  8  to said substrate and then removing the organic solvent therefrom.